John d



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN HOSPITAL BEDSTEAD.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,399, dated September 27, 1864.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, JOHN D. COCHRAN, of Milford, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hospital Bedsteads; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical section through the bedstead. Fig. 2 represents alongitudinal vertical section through the same when the parts are brought into such a position as to suppor'; the invalid in a sitting posture.

The object of my vinvention is to produce a bedstead on which the invalid can be gradually raised to any desired inclined or sitting posture without in the least causing any i'nconvenience to him, and whereby the change in position can beeft'ected as gradually as the circumstances of the ease may require, thus greatly relieving the sufferings of the invalid which are caused by lying for a length of time 1n the same position.

To enable others skilled in the arts to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents the head of the bedstead. It is secured permanentlyv to the side rails, B, the parts C of which are pivoted to the rails by pins a. D is the foot of the bedstead. It is pivoted to the parts C by means of pins b.

The legs E and F are respectively secured to the parts A and D, and the center legs, 12.-, are secured to the side rails, B.

c, d, and f represent the slats which support the mattress. The slats c are secured to the pivoted rails G, the slats d to the rails B, and the slats f to the pivoted rails C. The rails G are p'ivoted at g to the rails B.

H represents double levers, which are pivoted to the rails G at h. They are provided at their lower ends with friction-rollers Il, which glide over the inclined ways I. The ropes K are secured at lc to the levers H and pass around the windlass L, on which they can be wound by means of a crank.

m represents a ratchet. It is secured to the :windlass L, and a represents a pawl, by

which the Windlass is prevented from turning, for the purpose of retaining the parts in a fixed position.

M represents a cross-shaft, which has its bearings in the center legs, R, of the bedstead. The lever O is secured on said shaft, and the ends ot.' the rope N, which passes around the windlass P, are respectively secured to the arms of the lever O, to turn it into any desired position.

Q represents a rod, which connects one of the arms of the lever O with the cross-piece S of the foot D. The legs F of the foot D are provided With casters o, to glide on the Iioor when the bedstead is operated.

The operation of the bedstead is as follows: When the invalid is to be raised to a sitting posture the shaft L is turned in the direction of the arrow, Fig. l, and the rope K is wound on the shaft L and raises the levers tl, which glide up on the inclined ways I. 'lhus the rails G and their slats o are raised to the position represented in Fig. 2. The shaft P is turned next, and the action of the rope N turns the lever O and brings the legs F to the horizontal position and the bars C and their slats f to the vertical position represented in Fig. 2. In this position the casters o of the legs F bear against the sides of the center legs, R, and the entire apparatus is brought in the position of an easy chair, in which the several parts can be adjusted to suit the comfort ofthe invalid.

Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, what I claim herein as new, und desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the stationary side rails, B, the hinged rails G, levers H, inclined ways I, ropes K, and shaft L, substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

2. The combination of the levers O, ropes N, shaft P, and pitman Q, with the hinged parts D and C, substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

JOHN D. COCHRAN.

Witnesses:

J. L. SPRING, J AMEs B. GRAY. 

